LUKE 20:1-18
THE STONE On the day the Lord Jesus Christ was speaking as the Prophet to Israel, He was telling them of the Good News of the kingdom of God. He had preached the Gospel message publicly many times before. His disciples also had been sent out to proclaim the Gospel to the whole nation. Those were not quiet private conversations where there is an exchange of opinions as many people want to do today in place of public Gospel preaching. There may be times when conversations can have a useful purpose in presenting and explaining the doctrine of the Gospel to earnest inquirers. These do not take the place of the herald of the Gospel standing forth and making plain the necessity of a lost sinner facing his or her sin. In Gospel preaching we must clearly define the problem that separates ungodly sinners from a holy God. It is important then that we give the solution for the sin problem as taught in the scriptures. The works and ordinances of men have no value in this solution. "The wages of sin is death." Death for sin is the only thing that can stop the hemorrhaging disease of sin in the sinner. The solution to the problems is the Good News. "God commendeth (demonstrated) His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." How welcome to the convicted sinner are the words, "The Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me."
The leaders of the Jews had carefully planned two questions to ask Jesus after His entry into the city of Jerusalem as the Messiah. In this scheme of two questions, they thought the Lord Jesus would legally and publicly be condemned. They began this interrogation by seeking to establish their authority as leaders. "Tell us..." was their demand. They probably were referring to the turning over of the money-changers tables the day before and upsetting the business-like order of religion that had taken the place of spiritual worship in the temple. Their questions covered the "what" and the "who" of authority they thought they had and that He didn't have. Whenever someone claims authority there is the right to find out what that authority is and what person gave it as in the government and those who represent it.
In His reply the Lord Jesus, with dignity, grace and firm authority said, "Tell Me..." using the same method of speaking those who opposed Him used. They assumed they had authority. The Lord Jesus exercised the authority He had when He answered their questions with His own question. If they had believed the message of John, they would have believed the Lord Jesus Christ was the Messiah. John had made that plain in his preaching. Those men were not ignorant of what the Lord was asking. They chose to disobey the light they had been given and so had to give a dishonest answer. They knew their answer was dishonest and so did the Lord. His answer was honest. If they were not honest with John, they could not be honest with Him. He was not going to tell mere men of His divine authority when they were not honest - nor were they willing to be honest. Their strategy of finding a legal way to condemn the Lord of getting His authority from God, failed. They could not charge Him with blasphemy against the law nor could they charge Him with insurrection against the Romans by saying His authority was given by men.
The parable the Lord Jesus told the people, and the leaders would have heard it all, was about Israel as a nation that was like a vineyard. The leaders and maybe most of the listeners would have recognized the imagery from the Old Testament scriptures. The lord of the vineyard was God who was expecting the fruits of righteousness, holiness and true worship as a result of the blessings He had given them and He wasn't getting anything. The prophets were the servants who came to get what belonged to God and sent them away rejected, empty-handed and injured. The listeners would have easily understood the parable unto this point.
Then the Lord inserted a part of the story that not only answered the questions they had asked, but prophetically exposed those leaders of the Jews for what they were - and they knew He meant them without having to hear a word of explanation. The man who planted the vineyard (God) who had sent servants (the prophets), now sent His own son (Jesus). But just like they had been planning to trap Jesus with so they could kill Him, the story exposed the whole plot without giving them a way to charge Him. He had just told them a story. He also gave them the rest of the story. Those who reject Him will be rejected and destroyed. In effect, He cast the nation out and has given the blessings of the Gospel to the whole world. God turned from Israel to the Gentile world. This is where we come in. We have a message to tell the nations of the world in our day. It is important we give full diligence to this important mandate.
The people who heard and knew what the meaning of the parable was, worriedly voiced their hope that this would not happen. We need to remember the power of the Gospel we preach, the impact for good or bad it has on people, and the results that follow. The Lord quoted a familiar psalm they would have often sung at that time of year. The warning was given that those who rejected Christ when He first came will experience His just judgment when He comes again. As one wrote in a poem, "Nothing but rejected light will doom a soul to endless night."
What is authority and from where does it come?
It needs to be used in the country and at home - So those living there will know there are lines Over which we don't step to order and guide our times In ways that peace and order can be maintained By the use of authority and the power it contains. When used properly it is a wonderful tool - To keep both adults and children from acting the fool.
In the Lord, that authority was to fulfill God's plan Of redemption and the Gospel to bring blessing to man. His authority wasn't usurped, it was given to be used - To bless the needy, not like those leaders who abused The authority and position that was expected of them. Their plan after their rejection was to crucify Him Whose righteous acts in contrast to theirs, blessed the people - Those schemers knew well, not one of them was His equal.
The parable he told left in no one's mind the question About what He meant and how it would affect them. What would they do with Jesus needed an answer from each? Would they ignore what He said, or act on what He did preach? It is really no different now because people still choose. Will they believe and be saved, or will their soul they lose? There is no neutral ground when it comes to our own reply - Will we believe on Him now or will we in our sins die?
"There is no question, Father, about the seriousness of that time when the Lord Jesus was speaking in the temple. People knew it was going to be one way or another - no middle ground. May Thy servant remember at there still is no middle ground - no easy road for sinners to be saved. Christ had to die, and they must come to Him for salvation no matter what the cost. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."